Teachers across the region went on strike again on Thursday and called for a better offer from the Government in an ongoing pay dispute.
A number of schools in the North East were closed or partially shut as members of the National Education Union (NEU) took to picket lines, with placards saying "pay up". The latest action followed previous walkouts in February and March, with another strike scheduled for Tuesday, May 2.
The Government offered teachers a £1,000 one-off payment for the current school year (2022/23) and an average 4.5% pay rise for staff next year following intensive talks with education unions. However, four unions - the NEU, the NASUWT teaching union, the National Association of Head Teachers (NAHT) and the Association of School and College Leaders (ASCL) - rejected the pay offer.
Read More: School teachers strike LIVE: Updates on North East school closures and advice for parents
The NEU is campaigning for a fully funded above-inflation pay rise. Beth Farhat, northern region secretary for the union, said: "Gillian Keegan (Education Secretary) is failing to address the multiple problems damaging our children's education - around teacher recruitment and retention problems, and inadequate school funding.
"She has been told by the profession – and a significant majority of the profession – that her pay and funding offer is not good enough. 98% of NEU members rejected it, on a two-thirds turnout.
"Her response has been to deny the way the wind is blowing. She is refusing to return to the negotiating table. It is this inaction, this silence which has left NEU teacher members in England’s schools and sixth form colleges to reluctantly take two more days of national strike action.
"The NEU regrets any disruption to education, and has put in place measures to ensure GCSE and A level students have a full program on those days, but what parents know is the disruption to education on a daily basis. This is the result of Government policy on pay, on workload, on funding, and its serial neglect of a recruitment and retention crisis.
"Pupils are now regularly taught by staff who do not specialise in the subject they are asked to teach, or by a series of different teachers for the same subject across a year. Schools are cutting subjects and facilities in order to make ends meet, reducing opportunities for young people.
"Support staff posts are disappearing, leading to less one-to-one time. Despite our efforts, this Government has shown no understanding of just how serious the situation is in our schools and colleges.
"The pay and funding offer has only served to unite the profession against the Government. That is why other unions are moving to ballot."
Kevin Courtney, the joint general secretary of the NEU, said teachers "regret" the disruption caused by strike action ahead of exam season, but staff shortages are causing "wider disruption". Speaking to Nick Ferrari on LBC, he said the union had put measures in place to ensure that A level and GCSE classes could go ahead despite the strikes action.
"We're putting dispensations in place to ensure that our GCSE and A-level classes are having revision today, they're getting ready for those exams, because we recognise the point that you're making," he said. "We always regret the disruption that our action is causing.
"The disruption not just to education, but also to parents' home and working lives. Our point is there is a wider disruption. If your physics class is not taught for half of the lessons, if your math class doesn't have a math teacher.
"I was sharing this on a demonstration in London recently, a primary class where the teacher had left at Christmas and by the 15th of March still no replacement for that teacher in place. That is disruption every day."
A Department for Education spokesperson said: "Any strike action is hugely damaging. We have made a fair and reasonable pay offer to teachers recognising their hard work and commitment. Thanks to the further £2 billion we are investing in our schools, next year, school funding will be at its highest level in history."
Teachers' pay will now be decided in light of the recommendations made by the independent School Teachers’ Review Body.
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